The All-Star vote has already given the Blue Jays a loud national stage, and it should feel familiar to Royals fans who lived through something very similar a decade ago.
Toronto’s push through Phase 1 of voting turned into the defining story of the opening round. Ernie Clement locked up outright All-Star status after finishing first in the entire American League in voting, and the Blue Jays also landed a finalist at every other position. That surge of Canadian support sparked plenty of frustration around the league, with a number of worthy players pushed out of finalist spots and now waiting on the reserve selection committee - including some notable Royals names.
Still, Kansas City supporters probably shouldn’t take too much offense at what Toronto pulled off. The Royals did the same thing in 2015, right in the middle of their own World Series run.
That year, Royals fans flooded the ballot. Salvador Perez, Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon all finished as starters, while Omar Infante came close as well. The club also owned the final roster spot vote, with Mike Moustakas coming out on top there too.
There is one important difference, though. Kansas City had a stronger case for that kind of support.
The 2015 Royals were far more competitive than this year’s Blue Jays. The Royals went on to win the AL Central that season, while the 2026 Blue Jays are sitting six games under .500 and 2.5 games back of the third and final wild card spot.
For Kansas City now, the focus shifts to Phase 2 and Bobby Witt Jr. The Royals’ lone finalist is in a strong position, sitting almost one million votes ahead of Andrés Giménez, who is second. Witt’s return to his MVP-caliber form after an MCL sprain should only strengthen his case.
The setup may help him even more this time around, too. With not every team represented among the finalists, Witt figures to benefit from support beyond just Royals fans, which should make the vote less crowded than it was in Phase 1.
Fans have until Thursday, July 2 at noon ET to vote for Witt before Phase 2 ends and the All-Star rosters are announced ahead of the July 14 game in Philadelphia.
In Other News...
This Royals Draft Target Feels Like A Perfect Fit For KC
Eric Booth Jr. has started to look like the kind of athlete the Royals can dream on when the 2026 MLB draft rolls around. The Mississippi high school outfielder is drawing attention as one of the classs top prospects because of his elite speed, rangy athleticism and the kind of defensive upside that plays anywhere on the grass, with scouts also impressed by how he can change a game on the bases.
What makes Booth especially intriguing for Kansas City is that the fit goes beyond raw tools. The one question hanging over his profile is how much power he can unlock once his swing is refined, and that kind of development curve is exactly what can separate a good prospect from a great one. The Royals evidently see the appeal, even if their current lean suggests they still have another name in mind at the top of the board. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Grind Out Another Tight Division Win Over White Sox
Anthony Kays afternoon never really found its footing in the series finale, and the White Sox were left trying to dig out of an early hole against a division rival that has made a habit of squeezing out close games. Kay gave up five runs in 3.2 innings, and while Miguel Vargas and Kyle Teel helped keep Chicago within reach with timely damage at the plate, the early work on the mound made the margin feel a little too steep for comfort.
The bullpen did its part after Kay exited, holding Kansas City down the rest of the way and giving the offense a chance to climb back. Chicago still had enough life to make the finish interesting, but the club could not fully erase the deficit in a 5-4 loss that underscored how thin the margin can be in these division matchups. [Read more 🡒]
Royals May Be Headed For A Deadline Gut Punch
Kansas Citys season has drifted far enough off course that the trade deadline is starting to look less like a chance to add and more like a moment to take stock. With the Royals buried by injuries and a record that has pushed them toward the sellers side of the market, the kind of midseason chatter that once felt premature is getting harder to ignore. For a club trying to stay competitive in the division, the deadline now carries real consequences, especially if the front office decides its best path is to cash in a few veterans rather than wait for a turnaround that may not come.
The most familiar names in that discussion are pitchers Kris Bubic and Michael Wacha, both of whom would draw attention if Kansas City put them in play. Bubic has already surfaced in speculative trade talk, while Wachas profile makes him the sort of veteran contender could circle if it decides to reinforce the rotation. A reunion with San Diego has at least been part of the conversation, and that alone says plenty about where this deadline might be headed for the Royals. [Read more 🡒]